Obama to rally public in next fight to GOP, wants more tax hikesPosted by Laura

There are signs of life in the GOP--top Republican leaders are say an emphatic "NO!" to new taxes post-cliff deal. When the GOP ceded the income tax hike issue in the cliff deal, we knew that it would whet the Obama appetite for even more tax hikes--and we were right. The President and his merry band of revenue gobblers, are demanding that any discussion of entitlement reform must include even more "revenues." Fresh off his Hawaii 2.0 This is a hill that Republicans should be willing to die over, but what is sorely needed is a clear Republican narrative that will demonstrate that the conservative position (i.e., cutting spending, reforming the tax code) is the best path forward for American growth and renewal. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has drawn a line in the sand--a good first step.

“The tax issue is, finished, over, completed. That’s behind us now. The question is: what are we going to do about the biggest problem confronting us and our future,” McConnell said. McConnell, in an interview with ABC’s “This Week,” said President Obama had won all he’s going to get on taxes in last week’s agreement to extend the Bush-era tax rates for most taxpayers. McConnell said next round of negotiations over a deal to raise the debt-ceiling would need to include Democratic concessions on spending."

President Obama has already pledged to take his mission of "balanced" approach to a grand budget and reform bargain to the people, meaning the permanent campaign continues. As McConnell said on Sunday, "we know the president can campaign, but can he govern?" He can demonize and isolate.